Magazine type safety razor



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INVENTORS Eugene Hanse Gabriel HBG/ik E. HANSET ETAL MAGAZINE TYPE SAFETY RAZOR Filed Oct.

Dec. 23,1958

United States Patent O MAGAZINE TYPE SAFETY RAZOR Eugene Hanset, Santa ICruz, Calif., and Gabriel H. Balik, Portland, Oreg.

Application October 1, 1956, ySerial No. 613,201

Claims. (Cl. 30-40) This invention relates to safety razors in general, and more particularly relates to safety razors containing a chamber for the storage of blades and having mechanism for subsequently feeding the blades as they are needed into a shaving position.

Safety razors of this description generally have been characterized Vby an intricate construction and delicate mechanism making them extremely susceptible to damage by accidental jarring or dropping. Many of the mechanisms suggested for injecting successive blades into shaving position have tended to damage the blades, or have required special blade constructions in order to operate properly. The positioning of the blade in the optimum shaving position has been diflicult to obtain and subject to variation, and the loading of the razor with a new supply of blades has usually Ibeen troublesome, requiring the expenditure of considerable time and effort.

Generally, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel safety razor construction having a minimum number of parts, which may be easily filled with a new supply of blades, and which is readily adjusted when supplied with blades to deliver a fresh blade into a predetermined shaving position.

According to this invention, the razor is equipped with an appropriate retention chamber for the storage of blades, and a cap or cover member, Slidably mounted for reciprocation over the chamber. The cap is provided with an engaging portion for gripping thel upper one of a stack of blades carried by the chamber, and is movable from a loading position, wherein a blade is moved against the engaging portion, to a shaving position, wherein the blade is set for shaving. A releasable latch mechanism is included, normally conlining movement of the cover member ybetween these two positions.. Actuation of the latch mechanism allows the cap to be moved forwardly from the position it occupies in the shaving position to an ejection position where the blade ,is ejected, the latch mechanism accommodating unhindered movement of the cap or cover rearwardly from this ejection position to the loading position. A manually controllable spring biasing mechanism is provided within the razor for urging the supply of blades held by the chamber against the cap. In the loading, shaving, and ejection positions, portions of the cap overlie the chamber thereby holding the blades within the chamber. Means are also included for releasing the cap and sliding the cap rearwardly off the razor so as to present access to the chamber when it is desired to ll the chamber with a new supply of blades.

It is a more specic object of this invention, therefore, 4to provide a safety razor with a slidable cap for positioning successive blades in a shaving position which includes novel regulating mechanism defining the various loading, shaving, and ejection positions of the cap so that successive blades may be easily and accurately set in the shaving position, the regulating mechanism also enabling successive blades to lbe fed into the shaving position without the danger of accidentally discharging the blade supply held within the razor.

Another object is to provide a razor having such a cap which includes a manually depressable biasing means urging the blade supply against the cap, the mechanism regulating the cap permitting the cap to be removed entirely from the head of the razor thereby exposing the blade retention chamber, which may then Ibe prepared for the reception of a new blade supply by depressing the biasing means.

Another object of thisV invention is to provide with a razor of the type described a slidable cap movable from a loading position, wherein a blade is prepared for injection into the shaving position, to a shaving position wherein the blade is positioned in the shaving position, which includes a releasable latch mechanism preventing movement of the 4cap beyond the shaving position to a blade rejection position prior to'release of the latch mechanism, but which accommodates unhindered movement rearwardly from the ejection position to the loading position.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention are more fully disclosed in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a view of the back end of a razor embodying this invention, parts of the latch mechanism included in the razor having been removed; l

Fig. 2 is a side view of the razor illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is another side view, partly in section, of the razor shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the razor of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a section view along the line 6 6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a section view along the line 7-7 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, a 4razor embodying this invention comprises, in general, a body 10 having a handle portion 11 and at one end thereof a head portion 1,2.

Head portion 12 is generally rectangular in shape and has formed therein a blade retention chamber 13 for holding a supply of blades 14, the cross sectional area of the chamber generally conforming to the over-all dimensions of the blades to be carried therein. The blades may be of various shapes, the blades in the embodiment illustrated having a rectangular shape.

Slidably mounted on top of head portion 12 for reciprocation over head portion 12 and blade retention chamber 13 is a cap or cover element 16. Cap 16 is provided at each of its sides with anges 17 and 18, these Hanges contacting and sliding upon the lower surfaces of a pair of rail portions 19 and 21 presented 4by head portion 12.

Referring to Fig. 3, Slidably mounted within a bore 20 formed in handle portion 11 is a rod 22 carrying at its upper end a blade platform 23 and having inserted into its lower end a screw 24. Platform 23 comprises the lower `support for the blade supply held by the razor, and screw 24 acts as a seat for the upper end of a compression spring 27 extending downwardly toward the bas'e of handle 11, in a chamber 26 defined by the Walls of handle 11. The lower end of compression spring 27 is seated on a removable end portion 28 screwed on to the bottom of handle portion 11. Compression spring 27 tends to urge rod 22 upwardly to an upper limit position ,determined by the overhanging periphery of screw 24 striking the -shoulder presented `between bore 20 and chamber 26.

Carried by head portion 12 in front of the forward edge of chamber 13 is a blade delivery plane 29, which terminates at its outer, forward edge in a guard portion 31. A blade is moved from chamber 13 to a shaving positon where the shaving edge of the blade overlies guard portion 31 by sliding the blade over the delivery 3 4plane to the front of the razor. An engaging means is provided on the inner surface of cap 16 for engaging the uppermost of a supply of blades held in chamber 13 and moving the blade into a shaving position by properly manipulating cap 16. As can best be seen in Fig. 7, this engaging means comprises a shoulder 30 extending longitudinally along cap 16 and formed by a depression 32, running longitudinally along the cap and of a depth and length generally conforming to the thickness and length of the blades which are held by the razor. The inner surface of depression 32 is spaced by cap 16 close enough to blade delivering plane 29 to firmly grip a blade fed into the shaving position. The upper surface of platform 23 and the inner surface of depression 32 are inclined at an angle conforming to the angle in which the blade is held in the shaving position, so that movement lof the blade from chamber 13 into the shaving position i`s along a straight plane whereby accidental damage to the shaving edge of the blade is prevented. When blade retention chamber 13 is initially filled with a supply of blades, a new blade is injected into the shaving position by rst moving cap 16 rearwardly to a loadfing position wherein depression 32 is positioned over the blade supply. The cap is then moved forward, shoulder 30 engaging the rear edge of the uppermost blade in the ,blade supply, until the blade is moved into the shaving position. When it is desired to eject a used blade, cap 16 is moved forward beyond this shaving position, so as to eject the blade by pushing it off over guard portion 29. A new blade may then be injected into the shaving position by moving cap 16 rearwardly so that depression 32 overlies the blade supply, spring 27 thrusting the uppermost blade in the blade supply into depression 32 readying the blade for insertion into the shaving position. l During operation, while blades are successively injected into the shaving position and subsequently ejected, the blade supply is at all times retained within chamber 13 by cover 16. Thus, in the ejection position, the rear end of cap 16 overlies the blade supply, whereas in the loading position, the forward edge of cap 16 overlies the blade supply. Regulating means are provided for limiting the reciprocal movement of cap 16 between these two extreme positions, and for positively locating the cap intermediate these positions in its shaving position.

Referring to Fig. 5, extending partially across the upper surface of head portion 12 to one side of the head portion, is a transverse groove 33. A similar groove is carried by the head portion on the other side of the head portion. Projecting downwardly from cap 16, and slidably received by each of these grooves, are a pair of pins, such as pin 34. Groove 33 is open at its rear end to accommodate assembly of the cap on the head of the razor but presents, at its forward end, an abutment means 33a limiting forward movement of the cap beyond the ejection position, the ejection position being determined by pin'34 striking abutment 33a at the forward end of groove 33. In this position any blade held by depression 32 has been released over the forward end of guard portion 31.

Referring to Figs. l and 3, extending partly across the lower surface of cap 16, along the middle of the cap, is a groove 36. Movement of cap 16 rearwardly on the head of the razor is limited by a shoulder 36a at the forward end of groove 36 striking a retractable latch pin 37. Cap 16 occupies in this instance its loading position wherein depression 32 is situated over the blade supply.

Latch pin 37 has attached to its outer extremity a shaft 40, terminating in a button 38, permitting the user to reciprocate the latch pin, and to rotate the latch pin about its axis. A compression spring 39 encircling one end of the latch pin urges the latch pin upwardly against the inner surface of groove 36. A slot 41, with two indents 42 and 43, is formed in the body portion ofthe razor to accommodatemovement of the latch pin by means of 4 button 38. It will be noted that the lower surface of indent 42 is at slightly a higher level than the lower surface of indent 43.

Movement of button 38 downwardly until shaft 40 strikes the lower surface of indent 42 serves to clear the upper end of latch pin 37 from the lower edge of a jamb surface 44, located within groove 36 and projecting downwardly in the groove at the rear end of the cap. When the latch pin is depressed in this manner, cap 16 may be moved forwardly to an ejection position, determined by pin 34 hitting abutment means 33a. When the latch pin is depressed by moving shaft 40 into indent 42, the upper end of pin 37 will not clear the lower edge of the shoulder 36a presented at the forward end of groove 36, so that should the latch pin inadvertently be kept depressed, cap 16 may not be removed from the head of the razor, as the cap may not be moved rearwardly beyond its loading position. To remove cap 16, shaft 40 is moved to the left in Fig. 1 and depressed, by means of the button attached to the shaft, so that shaft 40 strikes the lower surface of indent 43. ln this condition of the parts, the upper end of pin 37 is locked out and clears the lower edge of the shoulder 36a at the forward end of groove 36, and the cap may be removed by sliding the cap rearwardly from off the razor head.

lamb surface 44 is inclined forwardly so that when the cap member is moved forwardly to the injection position, it can subsequently be moved back to the loading position without the necessity of manually depressing pin 37, the jamb surface wedging pin 37 downwardly as the cap is moved over the pin.

Rod 22 has attached thereto, intermediate its ends, a knob 46. Knob 46 may slide up and down along handle 11 in a slot 47 formed along the wall of handle 11. Knob 46 permits the user of the razor to retract platform 23 when it is desired to load chamber 13 with a new supply of razor blades. v

From the foregoing it is apparent that a very simple but highly effective razor has been described which may be loaded with a supply of new blades and subsequently adjusted so as to inject a new blade from this supply into shaving position with a minimum Aamount of difficulty and danger to the user. To load the razor, cap 16 is removed by rst depressing pin 37 and then sliding olf the cap so as to yield access to the upper end of chamber 13. Platform 23 may then be lowered by depressing knob 46 and the razor supply may then be inserted into the chamber. By suitably packaging the razor blades, the blades need never be handled. To prepare the razor for use, cap 16 is slid over the head of the razor with pin 37 resting in groove 36.

Individual blades are subsequently ejected into shaving position by means of the engaging means, or shoulder 30. To eject a used blade, the retractable latch pin 37 is depressed by moving shaft 40 into indent 42, and the cap moved forwardly until the blade is freed, whereupon the cap may be moved rearwardly to the loading position unhindered by pin 37, which is automatically depressed by jamb surface 44. Once cap 16 has been placed on the head of the razor, the blades held within lchamber 13 are always covered by portions of the cap. In this manner, the blades are kept from inadvertently exploding out of the chamber. The blades are not so confined when cap 16 is moved rearwardly of its loading position, which can only be accomplished by fully depressing button 38 so that shaft 40 rests in indent 43.

We claim:

l. In a safety razor comprising a body portion having a blade retention chamber adapted to hold a supply of stacked blades at one end of said body portion, a blade delivery plane presented by said body portion with its inner edge adjacent said chamber and its outer edge terminating in a guard portion, and a cap element slidably mounted on said body portion for reciprocation over said chamber and blade delivery plane, the inner surface of said cap element having engaging means adapted to engage a blade when said cap element is moved forwardly over said chamber, means operatively interposed between said cap element and body portion for regulating the reciprocal movement of said cap element relative to said body portion between three distinct positions, said means comprising a releasable iirst limit means limiting before release reciprocal movement of said cap element between a loading position wherein said engaging means is positioned rearwardly of a blade supply held by said chamber and a shaving position wherein a blade engaged by said engaging means is positioned adjacent said guard portion, and ya second limit means defining an ejection position for said cap element when said cap element is forwardly of said shaving position, said engaging means of said cap element in said ejection position moving a blade out over said guard portion for ejection, said cap element being adjustable to said ejection position only after release of said first limit means.

2. The safety razor of claim 1 wherein said first limit means comprises a unidirectional latch mechanism Iaccommodating movement of said cap element rearwardly from said ejection position to said loading position while inhibiting movement of said cap element forwardly of said shaving position until release of said first limit means.

3. The safety razor of claim 1 wherein said first limit means is adjustable to a rst position accommodating movement of said cap element forwardly of said shaving position, and a second position yaccommodating movement of said cap element rearwardly of said loading position.

4. A safety razor comprising a body portion having a blade retention chamber adapted to hold a supply of stacked blades at one end of said body portion, a blade delivery plane presented by said body portion with its inner edge adjacent said chamber and its out-er edge terminating in a guard portion, a cap element slidably mounted on said body portion for reciprocation over said chamber and blade delivery plane, spring biasing means for urging a blade supply held by said chamber against the inner surface of said cap element, means for depressing said -spring biasing means away from said cap element, the inner surface of said cap element having engaging means adapted to engage a blade When said cap element is moved forwardly over said chamber, and means operatively interposed between said cap element and body portion for regulating the reciprocal movement of said cap element, said means comprising a releasable limit means limiting reciprocal movement of said cap element between a loading position wherein said engaging means is positioned rearwardly of a blade supply held by said chamber and a shaving position wherein a blade engaged by said engaging means is positioned adjacent said guard portion, said means being adjustable to a position accommodating movement of said cap element rearwardly of said loading position so as to present access to said chamber Iand loading of said chamber by depressing said spring biasing means.

5. A safety razor comprising a body portion having a blade retention chamber adapted to hold a supply of stack-ed blades at one end of said body portion, a blade delivery plane presented by said body portion with its inner edge adjacent said chamber and its outer edge terminating in a guard portion, a cap element slidably mounted on said body portion for reciprocation over said chamber and blade delivery plane, spring biasing means for urging a blade supply held by said chamber against the inner surface of said cap element, means for depressing said spring biasing means away from said cap element, the inner surface of said cap element having engaging means adapted to engage a blade when said cap element is moved forwardly over said chamber, and limit means operatively interposed between said cap element and body portion for regulating the reciprocal movement of said cap element, said limit means defining a loading position wherein said engaging means is positioned rearwardly of a blade supply held by said chamber, a shaving position wherein a blade engaged by said engaging means is positioned adjacent said guard portion, and an ejection position wherein a blade engaged by said engaging means is ejected over said guard portion, said .limit means being adjustable to a position accommodating movement of said cap element rearwardly of said loading position so as to present access to said chamber and loading of said chamber by depressing said spring biasing means.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,584,811 Shick May 18, 1926 1,999,129 Minnelli Apr. 23, 1935 2,576,588 Gabriel Nov. 27, 1951 2,585,384 Hall Feb. 12, 1952 2,694,856 Muros'et al. Nov. 23, 1954 2,715,768 Hoberg Aug. 23, 1955 l2,742,693 Nigro g Apr. 24, 1956` 

